SUMMARY Menstrually related temporary remissions of myasthenic symptoms are reported to occur in 25 to 50% of female patients. Even though this has been attributed to hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle the underlying mechanism of this hormonal influence has remained elusive. The present study demonstrated a cyclical variation in the activity of red cell acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) enzyme (AChE) with a marked reduction at the time of menstrual remission of symptoms of myasthenia. These cyclical changes were abolished by thymectomy. It appears, therefore, that menstrual remission in myasthenia is at least partly due to hormone-induced changes in AChE activity. This process seems to be under the control of the thymus gland.

Anosmia and ageusia are the first and maybe the only symptom in patients affected with COVID-19 especially if the patient is paucisymptomatic. This aim of this study was to determine the demographic details of patients with anosmia, prevalence of anosmia and the time taken for it to resolve in patients who are positive for COVID-19 and took treatment in our hospital. Cross Sectional Study. Patients with real time polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) positive nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs, who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. The study group was interviewed through telephonic calls and a questionnaire filled to see the development and regression of their symptoms. Of the study population of 1000, 742 patients had some sort of a smell disturbance. There was a positive correlation between the severity of the disease and history of smoking. The prevalence of smell disturbances among COVID-19 patients in our study was 74.2%. One important finding that we found out was that majority of the smokers had moderate disease. Most of the patients had complete recovery form smell disturbance in the due course of time. The mean time for resolution of smell disturbance was found to be 9.89 days. Anosmia and ageusia can represent the only symptomatology present in patients with COVID-19 and they are completely reversible and hence they can be used as early predictors of infection. Level of Evidence: Level 2.

No abstract

OBJECTIVE. This study aimed to analyse the association of absolute eosinophil count (AEC), serum IgE and spirometry with co-morbid bronchial asthma in patients with allergic rhinitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS. This study involved 50 patients with signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis who underwent a clinical examination and various tests, including spirometry, and were followed up regularly. Patients found to have bronchial asthma or nasal polyposis were treated accordingly. RESULTS. The study found the prevalence of bronchial asthma in patients with allergic rhinitis to be 58% and that the severity of bronchial asthma was reduced significantly, with lesser acute attacks and reduced hospitalizations with the effective treatment of allergic rhinitis (p=0.064). CONCLUSION. This study showed that elevated AEC and serum IgE were significantly associated with co-existing allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma and increased the chance of co-existence of these two pathologies. Spirometry is a useful tool for observing the response to treatment.